Tuesday, 17 March 2020

Budget

Ms STALEY (Ripon) (12:38): My question is to the Treasurer. The federal government has announced an $18 billion stimulus package, with a further package to come, designed to put more money into the pockets of households, pensioners and small businesses to protect jobs in the face of the coronavirus. By contrast, the Treasurer has promised $4 billion in budget cuts and a new $1 billion bin tax. Will the government guarantee that the state government will not increase taxes and charges, taking federal stimulus money from the pockets of Victorian households, pensioners and small businesses?

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Oakleigh is warned. The member for Bentleigh is warned. Members will come to order.

Mr PALLAS (Werribee—Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Industrial Relations) (12:39): I thank the member for Ripon for her question, and I make the point that this government is and remains committed to assisting the community in what will be a very difficult time. Let us make no mistake: this is probably the greatest material risk to the wellbeing, the health and indeed the lives of more Australians than has occurred in the history of this country. So far as this government is concerned our number one priority—our number one priority—is the health and the wellbeing of Victorians, and what that will mean is that the government will be putting a very sustained, consistent and substantial investment in making sure that our health effort is profoundly well resourced.

This will go on for months, as the Premier rightly says, and this government will be here every day of that effort. But in addition to that let me be clear that we are constantly monitoring the efforts and the activities, which we welcome, of the federal government with regard to their stimulus package. Today we know that the RBA have indicated that they will once again be considering what actions they can do, and we know that the commonwealth has again foreshadowed that it will be doing further actions around the stimulus package.

Ms Staley: On a point of order, on relevance, Speaker, I did not ask the Treasurer to talk around the issue. I asked specifically about the upcoming budget and charges and whether there would be any.

The SPEAKER: I thank the member for Ripon for raising that point of order in the correct fashion. The Treasurer has been relevant to the question. The question related to the $18 billion stimulus package, and I ask the Treasurer to continue his answer.

Mr PALLAS: Let me be very clear that we as a government stand ready to help and are looking at the best options that we can put in place, but it would be foolhardy for anybody to suggest that what we should be doing is bowling out a package of initiatives without appropriately monitoring what is actually happening at a federal level. Essentially we have two substantial packages—one already in place, a second to come. The last thing we would want to see is duplicated effort, confusing activity.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr PALLAS: And indeed it seems the greatest health issue that confronts this nation is a laughing matter to those opposite. Well, we take our job seriously, and we are attending to these matters diligently. Can I be very clear: we stand ready to assist Victorians in a timely and efficient manner, and we will work in cooperation with all other tiers of government that are prepared to put politics behind them and the national interest in front of them.

Ms STALEY (Ripon) (12:42): The Western Australian government has announced a $607 million stimulus package for households, small businesses and seniors. The package includes a freeze on electricity, water and motor vehicle charges, public transport fares and the emergency services levy until at least mid-2021, and a doubling of the energy assistance payment. Why hasn’t the Andrews government announced a similar package for Victorians?

Mr PALLAS (Werribee—Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Industrial Relations) (12:43): It is largely because we are not Western Australia, and the material circumstances that impact upon Victorians—

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! Order! The Treasurer to resume his seat. I need to be able to hear the Treasurer’s answer. I ask members not to shout across the chamber.

Mr PALLAS: We will take appropriate steps and appropriate measures when it is apparent what the collective effort is. But let me be very clear: the principal effort of this government will be focused on the health and welfare of Victorians. We will not be using opportunities in this place to effectively spread fear and havoc in the community, and ultimately the choices we will make will put the wellbeing of Victorians first. We will monitor what is going on at a federal level and we will respond appropriately at an appropriate time.